Coating machine



Dec. 18, 1956 c. F. scHAEFER 2,774,339

COTING MACHINE Filed March 30. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 34- 4o 26 .92.94 as/z I N VEN TOR. Hmg man f.' Zw/Affi@ Dec. 18, 1956 c. F. SCHAEFER2,774,330

COATING MACHINE Filed March 30, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 Unite;

The present invention relates generally to coatingrnachines, and moreparticularly isv directed, to a machine Vfor applying coating solutionscontaining Vvolatile solvents, such as, for example, rubber cement,lacquenrpaint and the like, to sheet materials.

In working with such coating solutions,rth e latter must be stored inaclosed tank or reservoir invorder to prevent the rapid evaporation ofthe volatile solvent since, after exposure to the atmosphere hascausedsolventevaportion, many of such solutions cannot be returned orrestored totheir original consistency by the additionof freshsolvent.The requirement of a closed tank-or reservoir presents difficulties incoating machines of the type whereinthecoatingris applied to thesheetmaterlials by aicoatirng roller. Whileit has been previouslyproposed to provide a roller coatingmachinewith a closedtankvorlreservoir so asto adapt such a machine for work with coating solutions,containing:volatilesolvents, all ofisuch .;existing machines are complexin construction and, ,din cult todisassemble when it becomes necessarytoA clean th e,rollers andtheA tank or reservoir.

Accordingly, it is an object ofV the present invention to providearoller vcoating'machine which is adapted for coating sheet materialswith solutions containingz'volatile solvents, and wherein all. of theparts of thefmachinegcan lzeeasilyl assembled and disassembledwithoutvrequiring theuse ofanyl tools, thereby tofacilitatecleaningloffthe ymachine which is frequently necessarybygeasonoffthe rapidsolventevaporation and thickening tendencies, ,of `the coating solution.

.Afurther object ofthe invention is toprovideafroller `coating;,machineof fthe. described character wherein the ayoo ting-solution:is-containedinV a closed tank orV reservoir, -withgarscontinuous supply of thecoating-,solutionvbeing ,-*pumped orconveyed from thetank to-thelcoating roller for, transfer by; the latter to the sheet materials,andwith ;the.excesstthepumped;solution; whieh has been .exposed .to theatmosphere and to roller ,agitationrbeing returned to thetank,'for,mi;xture with the mainbodyoftheQlution thereby providing aycontinuous*circulation ofthe coating solutionto preventexcessive-thicleening ofthe latter. .during operation of theA machine.

"lnaccordancewith the invention, theabove, and other objects,1featuresand advantages-thereof, -appearinghin thefollowing detailed descriptionof anillustrativevlembodiment, are achieved byproviding.aycoating-'maehine which comprises a permanent base or framecarryingthe drive mechanisms andf feedgrollersl for cooperationkwiththecoatingrollen a tankor reservoir fortheoalting solution which is:removably mounted on -thetfbasefa pump vhousing. tting looselyv intothe bottom ofthe-tank v andaccommodating a rotatable pumpingrserewlwhich outlet andextending upwardly. from 'the lattenwithin theStates Patent C rice 2 tank, anda removable coating roller assemblywhich is removably mounted, as a unit, upon the top of the tank andincludes a coating ,roller positioned above the funnel to receive thecoating solution from the latter and a scraping or doctor blade forremoving the excess coating solution from the `coating roller with anarrangement being provided, as a part of the coating roller assembly,for adjustingwthe scraping blade so as to varyl the thickness Aof thelayer ofrcoating solution applied'by the coating rollersto lthe strip orsheet materials.

Itis a feature of coating machines embodying the invention ythat'thevarious assemblies and parts thereof, referred to above, may b eassembled land disassembled withoutrequiringthe use of any tools andthelike, with the coating roller and the pumping screw being automaticallycoupled to the related driving .mechanisms on the pernztanent b aseorframe when thezcoating roller assemyblyandttlie pumping screw aredisposed in their respective operativespositions, A further feature ofthe invention ,resides-inthe provision of bearings for thecoatingrollerandfor thehdrive of the.V pumping screw which effectively prevent thelpumping or leakage of coating solution through such bearings thereby toavoid fouling or clogxgingnggtfmthe several bearings.

In order .that the invention may be fully and clearly understood, anillustrative embodiment thereofy is ,heneinafrdnsaibmin detail. andshowin-the accompanying drawings, which form apart hereof, and wherein:

Fig. I is a verticalsectional view taken along.A the line 1.-1 flig- 2;

Fig. 2iisa transverse sectional view taken alongthe kline 2 -2 of Fig.l;

rFig. 3. isa `top plan view ofthe coatingmachine of ,Eiga .1 `and 2,Vbut with the covers forV the tank or reservoir .being .removed andwith portions of the. feed; rollers being brokenv away. to better'exposev the underlying `portions .of

4the machine Aembodying this invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary topfplan view ofa portionof v.the coatingmachineshown in Fig. 3, but with the coating Vroller assemblyremoved, and withapart of the machine beingbroken awayrto expose thestructure disposedtherebelow; and

'Eig.`5' is agdegtailed, side elevational view, on amenlargedscale-of-anarrangement for adjusting the-scraping or doctor gblade included A inthel coating i roller, assembly `onthe illustrated embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings` invdetail, and initially to-Figs. v1, 2and-l3-thereof, a coating machine embodying the present invention isthere illustrated andI generally identiiiedbytheireference vnumeral-10.Coating machine 10 includes a permanentbase. or platform 12fhaving.anupstandng, longitudinally extending frame member' 14 thereon.

A tank or. reservoir for the, coating solutionv generally identited bythe reference numeraltlt-iis disposed onbase y12` at one Yside of frame14 and includes side walls V18 Vandrltliwhich, at their lower edges,seat upon baset12 and may berrernovablyY secured to the latter, a frontwall 22 `ancla bottom wall 4'2,4 inclined downwardly towardthe front' toa laterally extending well orfdepression 26. Tank 16 further includes a`back wallr28 vhasvingra Yrearward extension :or projection310therein.todeiine a illing spout .communicatingwith the main bodyofrfthegtank; If desired, an outlet 21 having a suitableremovable;closure 'thereonmaygbe provided in one yof the Atanlcsitle. wallsadjacent `the;.bottomtherec f to` permit"drainingyofethe vcontents ofthe tank 16.- v

'e Inaccordance with the present invention, apnmphonsringf32f tsvfreely'from above into the well on-,depression 1216.-,off the tank andAis Vformed with; a laterallyv extending bore; 3,4 to accommodatev aVpumping sr.;rew which is, gen,-

' therebetween.

erally identified by 'the Areference numeral 36. Housing 32 is providedwith a `bearing 3-8 atl the end of bore 34 closest to side wall 20 ofthe tankfor rotatably supporting a shaft 40 lof the/pumping screw, andthe pumping screw 36 further includes a helical screw or thread 42extending around shaft 40 (Fig. 2) and into bore 34 of the pumpinghousing for propelling coating solution from the Well 26Y of the tankinto the lbore 34 which constitutes theinl'et to the pump housing. j

Pump housing 32 is further provided with an outlet 44 opening upwardlyfrom the bore 34 (Fig. 4) and having a aring upper portion. A funnelmember 46 has the back and sides thereofV converging *downwardly to aspout 48 Y which is integral with the remainder of the funnelmember anddimensioned to seatin the aring upper portion of pump housing'outlet 44.Funnel member 46 is 4dimen- Ystoned, as seen in Fig. 4, to t'closelybetween side walls 18 and 20 of the tank or reservoir 16 so that, whenthe spout 48 ofthe funnel member is engaged in the outlet `of the pumphousing 3'2, the funnel member serves vto Ypositionv the pump housinglaterally within' Ithe well or depression 26 of the tank or reservoir.Further, the en- Aga'gement'o'f the pump Ihousin'gf32 in well 26positions thek funnel member 46,.in the longitudinal direction, so thatthe front Wall ofthe funnel'member is disposed against the front wall 22of 4the tank or reservoir, as

shown in Figs; land 4.

Coating machine 10, in accordance with the present invention, furtherincludes a ycoating roller assembly which is generally identified by thereference'numeral 50. `As sembly 50V is made up of two parallel sidemembers 52 having a pair of spaced apart cross-rods 54 extending Theends of cross-rods'54 are secured to the side members 52 by adjustablesecuring members` or screws 56 so that the side members can be drawntoward each other byvtightening of the screws '56. The side ymembers'52are-removably secured on top of tank side Vwalls A18 and "20 by suitablethumb screws 58 which can Y be manually tightened orY removed withoutrequiring the use of tools for that purpose.- A ycoating-roller 60 ismounted upon a shaft 62 having its opposite'ends jour- Vnalled innon-rotatable bearing housings 64 extending inwardlyV from side members52 and telescoping over the related end portions of shaft 62; -As seenin I-iig. 2, each of the bearings-64 is sealed or-packed with a material65 capable of resisting the 'solvents employed in the coating solutions,for example, a packing material of the kind known as teon so `that whenthe side members 52`are drawn together, by tightening of the screws 56,the pack ings in 'bearing housings '64 are tightened against the shaft62 and against the -adjacent ends of coating rollers 60 so `that entryof the coating solution into the bearings is thereby, avoided. Y

The coating roller assembly '50 further includes a shaft A 66 (Figs. `land 3) extending laterally bween side members 52 at a location in backof-the coating roller '60, with the shaft 66 supporting a scraping ordoctor blade '68 for It is'ap- -In the Villustrated embodiment of theinvention, angular adjustment of shaft 66 iseifected by ana-rm 70 `(Fig.5)

iixed to an end of the shaft 66 at the outside of the adjacent sidemember 52, Ywith thearm mil-raving a longitudinally opening slot orrecess'72 at'its free endV to. re-

c'eive aneccentric cam 74 mounted von av rotatable stub -shaftY 76ywhich is rotatably carried by the side member 52 and manipulated by acontrol knob yor dial 7'8 (Shown Preferably, when coating'rollerassembly 50 is mounted upon tank side Walls 18 and 20, bearing housings64 en- Y gage in suitable arcuate recesses '80 (Fig. 4) formed in theupper edges of the sides of funnel member 46 thereby to positivelyposition the top of the funnel member in the tank, with the surface ofthe coating roller 60 passing close to the upperredge of the front wallof the funnel member and the'doctorblade 68 and its supporting structuresubstantially closing the top of the funnel memb'erin back Vof thecoating roller. In order -to complete the closing of the top of tank 16,a removable top wall 82 (Fig. 1) extends between side walls 18 and 20from the rear wall 28 tothe shaft -66 supporting the doctor blade.Further, a swingable closure 84 covers the open top ofthe rearwardextension 30 deiining the filling spout of the tank or reservoir. Asseen in Figs. 3 and 4, the opposite end portions of the upper edge ofthe rear wall of funnel member 46 arercut down or recessed, as at 86, todefine weirs over which the excess Vof coating material spills forreturn to the main body of the coating solution in the tank 16.

As seen in Fig. 2, the mechanisms'for driving pumping screw 3-6 andcoating roller '62 include separable couplings which permit the removalof the coating roller assembly 50V and of theV pumping screw from their-operative positions on and in said tank 16, respectively. Y

The driving mechanism for pumping screw 36 includes a drive shaft 88which is in axial alignment with the shaft 40 of the pumping screw whenthe latter is in its operative position and which extends through Vsidewall 18 of the tank. Shaft 88 is permanently and rotatably journalled ina bearing housing 90 secured to or integral with the adjacent side wallof the tank and packed with la material 91 resisting attack by thesolvents of ithe coating solutions, such as, for example, thematerial'known as teonf The packingV of the bearing housing 90 pre-Vvents the leakage of coating solution through the bearingY Vtointerfere with proper Vrotation of drive shaft 88. The

end of drive shaft 88 kWithin tank 16 and the adjacent end of shaft 40of the pumping screw have cooperating and separable coupling elements 92and 94 thereon to transmit'the rotationy of shaft 88 toY shaft Y40.Prefer ably, as seen in Fig. 2, coupling elements 921and 94`are of the,open dog type, that is, one of the elements has a elements 92 and 94are disposed vertically, such coupling elements can be separated bylifting of the pump housing 32 with thepumpingscrew 36 out of well 26atthe bottom of the tank. The outerY end of driveV shaft 88 also carriesYa coupling element 96 which separably engages a complementary couplingelement 98 carried by Y the adjacent end of a shaft 100 `journalledin asuitable bearing on the permanent orrxed frame 14. 1 Preferably,

the coupling elements 96 and 98 are alsoV of the open dog type so thatsuch coupling elements Vcan be "easily disengaged to permit removal oftank 16 fromY base Coating roller 60 and its shaft 62 are'drivenby ashaft 102 (Fig. 2) rotatably supported in frame 14 in axial align-Y mentwith shaft 62 and coupled to the latter by separable Y elements 104 and106 secured to the adjacent-ends of the shafts 62 and 102, respectively.Preferably, the cou- "pling elements 104 and 106are also of the fopendogV type'sotha when vthe meshing riband groove. thereof vare disposedvertically, the coating roller assembly 50 can be lifted from itsoperative position uponV the'tankn16.: i The illustrated coating machinefurther includes a'feed roller assembly, generally identified by thereferencenu emanan meral 108, :comprising two parallelfeed1rollers1110fand 1:12 .which are rotatably supported with theiraxesfex.- tending parallel-to that'of the coating roller 60'1to vbeardownwardly. on sheet material 'fed between the rollers 110 and 112 andthe roller 60. The feed-rollerslll) and 112 'are .supported at one endina head 114.mounted at the .'frontendof :a swingable support arm116,1theother or'rear end of support arm 116 being secured inacbracket118, which is carried by a support 120 swingablymounted in'frame 14.Thus, arm 116 can be .angularlydisplaced-,

withrespect to .frame 14, to vary the contact between feedrollersl() and112 and coating roller 60. In order to adjust the contact between thefeed rollers andthe coating roller, an adjustment screw y122 extendsthreadably .through arm 116 to bear at its lowerfend lagainst anabutment 124 projeeting laterally from frame 14. A lock nut 125, ispreferably provided onvadjustment screw 1-2 2 .-to maintain the latterin its adjusted position.,A If desired, .a suitablespringfnot shown),can be provided between the head 114 and the frame 14 to urgethe head.downwardly and thereby to augment the force .due .to gravity in urgingthe feed rollers against the Vcoating relier. It'is apparent that,-when'thefcoating yroller assembly 50 is to be removed from tank 16,supportarm 116 can be .swung upwardly about the support 120 therebytoplace,v the feed rollers 11,0and .112 in positions `remotefromrcoating -roller 60 and the other removable parts of the machine.

.Rotation ofthe feed rollers and of the shafts 4100 :102,wbichrespectively drive the pumping screw and` c oating i.roller, Viseifected by a suitable gear transmission ironia main shaft 128'(-Fig.3). This main drive `shaft is, connected toa sourceof motive power (notshown), such as, an electricmotor mounted upon the base-12 at the sideofframe 14 remotefromvtank 16. Main drive shaft 128 isjournalled in asuitable bearing 130. carried b/.the frame, 'and a spur gear 132 istixedon shaft .128 .toi mesh with a relatively large spur gear -134which is alsolrotatably mounted on the frame .14. Ay stub .shaft 213.5is rotatably carried by the head 114 with'it's axis .disposedahoveandbetween the aXes of rotation of ,feed rollersjlltland .312. Stub.shaft 13.6 projects fromhead 11 4 in thedirection opposite .to the feedrollers and carriestwo spur gears138 and140 which respectively, meshwith the gear'13 4 and with spur gears y142 and V144 iixed tothe'shaftsof the feed rollers 110 and 112, Where- .byItheffeed rollersv arerotatedin thesame direction. Shaft `102 isalso driven fromy gear 134through a sptlr gear .-14,5 (Fig. 2) xed on vshaft 102y and meshingdirectlvwith gear- 134, Finally, sprockets 148 and 150 are, x'e'd onshafts'l andlZ, respectively, and an endlesschainl152 .extends aroundsuchsprockets to transmit the rotation fof shaftl to shaftl) foreffecting rotation of the pumping screw 36.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that, with the several partsof thecoating machine'in their operative positions, rasfillustrated'in thedrawings, pumping screwpropels thecoating solution from the Well 26 oftank 16 thrOLlgh thev pump housing 32, and upwardly through'funnel,memberg46 .fo r contact with the rotated coating roller` 60. Preferably,pumping screw 36, 4is eifective topropel Ythe coating solutionthroughhousing 32 at a rate which is substantially greater than that at whichthe coatingroller depositsthe solution upon the undersurfaces of .sheetrmaterialsjfed between the feed rollers 11() and 112 and.the-coatingroller), sothat the excess of, pumped coat- .ing solutionspills over the cut-out weirs 86 at, the back edgeof theffunnel memberand is returned tothe main body ofcoating solution in theA tank.Further, thethick- .nessfof the layerjof coating solution applied tokthesheet materials by vcoating roller '60 is regulated or controlled bythe doctor blade. '63, which. returnsithe removed. C Qatinssolution'from the coating roller to the main body tof'thecoatinfgfsol'ution overthe lweirs 86. Since the topfofthe tank, 26'isVsubstantially nclosed by thefcoating rollerV "60, 7

the doctor-blade '68, and the closures-82am 84, the

evaporation zof 4@the .highly` fyolatile.;.-solve nts ;.contained thefcoatingsolutions fisretarded, and thickening-.of coating solution,during operation ofthe. machine. fis furtherdeterredgby. .the continuous:circulation of thecoatg ingrsolutonin :the mannerdescribedabove.

However, even with'the abovelffeatures ofv the described machine iforresisting thickening of 111C .coating solution, itgis necessary :atfrequentiintervals to 'thoroughly clean thevarious .parts :ofithemachine contactedbythe coating solution. YWith va machineembodyingthepresent invention, such cleaning. of thefparts contacted by the coatingsolutionis facilitaterlfinfthat the; several parts Vcanbeeasily.disassembled without :requiring the vuse 'of any ytools ,for thatpnrpose,:-to;permit theimmersion of thedisassembled parts 'in a.suitable cleanser or solvent.

Indisassernbling the parts Qf;the machine,;hea d 1 ;14, and with it feed1rollers 110 :and 1112, are. lifted clearfof coating: roller A60;'and ofitheztank 16 by swinging arm 116. aboutits'pivotalsnpport "120; Then,thumb screws holding therside members`52. of the coatingroller: assemblyto Ythe f tank 16,.'are; removed Aso that jthe v coating roller.assembly .can :be lifted, asva unit, from its operative fposif tion :ontheitank.. `Removal ofthe coating roller assembly freesthefunnel-memher46V so that the;latter can betlifted out-oflhe tank,11nd .such removalof thegfunnel'menrber disengages Sthe spoutf48g1of .the latter vfrom theoutlet 44 of` the.=pump Yhonsing 3,2.` AAfterremoval o f thefunnelmembeL-thef-pump{housing 32 and pumping screw 3 6fcan be liftedtogetherout .of :tl1e..vv ell;26 of the tank, and then the-.pumping fscrewcaribe axially removed .from bore. =3:4of1the pumplhousing. :F.inally,the tank'l6; itself can vheremoved` from base 12 fOr-drainageof-.theCOIltCDts thereof .and.a.thorough:cleaning Thus, a coating ma.- chine.embodying the. :present invention v'is Vpeculiarly adapted forrcoatingwith soliutions containing volatilesolvents in. that thedescribedmachine resists .evaporation vof the. solvent, and-'facilitatesthorough cleaning ofthe-variousparts so that'thezrelatively rapidthickening of such coatingfsolutons doeslnot have thedisadvantagesofirequiring long inoperative. p eriods'for the purpose ofcleaning away thedried collections of thecoatingjsolutiou Whileanillustrative embodiment of the invention Eihas been'described aboveand shown'in thedrawings,l merely by way of example, it istobeunderstoodthat the pr es ent invention isinot limitedto thatpreciseVembodimentzand that various changes andmoditications may be eiectedtherein without departing fromthe scopeor'spirit vof.;the invention asdened in the appended claims.v

What is claimed is:

1.- A coating machine comprising a base,;a tankfor coating solutionremovably .mounted onsaid' base fand havinga laterallyv extending Wellat the bottom thereof, a pump housing seating in said well and removableupwardly from the latter, said'housing having an .outlet :at the topthereof .andaccommodatinga pumping member operative to propel `coatingsolution from said 'well through said outlet, an upwardly. openingfunnel member fitting removably in said tank and held againstflateral`displacement l by .the latter, said funnel member seating at its lowerend in said'outlet of the pump housing' thereby to prevent lateralydisplacement of said housing in the well and so that the housingvprevents longitudinaldisplacement of the funnel member, a coatingroller,-means removably supporting saidroller on top ofsaid tank in .theupper end of said funnel memberand resisting upwardmovement of thelatterrelative to said tank, and means fordriving saidroller and saidpumping mernber `so that coating solution is pumped by the latter Ifromsaid tank through said housing and funnel memberto said coatingroller'and spills overthe top of said funnel merri-` .ber to mix withthe remainder of the coating solution in said tank.

2., A :coating machine comprising a base; a tank for coating solutionremovably'mounted on said base;` a coating roller assembly removablymounted, as a unit, onasaid ing said roller and having its endsprojecting from the latter intoV said bearing housings, and packings .insaid bearing housings tightened against the ends of said roller and uponthe ends of saidshaft by drawing together of said side members therebyto prevent penetration of coating solution into said bearing housings;and means rehaving a laterallyextending well at the bottom thereof,

a pump housing seating in said well and removable upwardly from thelatter, saidhousing having a laterally extending bore therein and anoutlet at the top thereof communicating with said bore, a pumping screwextending faxially into said bore to propelcoating solution from saidwell into said bore and thence through said outlet, an npwardly openingfunnelrnember fitting removably in said tank and seating at its lowerend in said outlet of the pump housing to locate the latter in saidwell, a'coating roller,

means rotatably supporting said roller and removably mounted on saidtank to position said roller at the upper open end of said funnel memberand to resist upward movement of the latter in said tank, and means fordriving said roller and said pumping screw so that coating solutionY ispumped by the latter from said `tank through said housing andV funnelmember to said coating roller and spills vover the top of said funnelmember to mix with Ythe remainder of the coating solution in said tank.

5. A coating machine according to'claim 4; .wherein said driving meansincludes driving mechanism on said base, and separable transmissionsbetween said mechanism and said roller and pumping screw to permitremoval Vof said roller from the tank and of said pump housing andpumping screw from the well independent'of said mechanism on said base.A

6. A coating machine according to claim.4; wherein i said driving meansincludes' a drive transmitting shaft journalled in said tank in axialalignment with said pump- .ing screw when the latter is operativelypositioned in said 'said pumping screw, a rst drive shaft rotatablymounted onv said'base, meshing and separable Ycouplings on the Vouterend of said drive transmitting shaft and said first drive shaft so thatsaid tank can be removed fromV said Vbase independent of said firstdrive shaft, a second drive Vpositioned to beraxially aligned with saidcoating roller when the latter isVr mounted on said tank, meshing andseparablevcoupling means on said second drive shaft and connected tosaid coating roller to permit removal of the ylatter independentVV ofsaid second drive shaft, and rmeans 'on said Vbase for rotating saidfirstand second drive shafts.

rveach'of said lmeshing and separable couplings is 0fl the s v7. A'coating machine according to claim; wherein open dog typef to permit theseparation thereof by radial displacement of the axis ofrone part ofsaid coupling relative to the axis of the other part of the couplingl'whereby 'said pumphousing and rpumping screw can be lifted togetherout of said tank and said roller. and zsaid 'tank can be lifted olf saidtank andbase, respectively.

Y8. A coating machine according to claim 4; wherein said means'rotatablysupporting said rollerincludesa pair 1 of Aside members adapted to seaton said tank, meansconnecting said side members,bearingmeans on saidside meri1bers',laV shaft journalled inV said bearing means and carryingsaid coating roller, and removable means for securing said side membersto the tank. i

9. Acoating Yrnachineaccording to.claim 8; 'further comprising ascraping blade, means mounting said blade between said side'members forcontact with the surface of said coating roller, kand means onone ofsaid side membersV operative to vary the Contact between Vsaid blade andcoating roller so that said lblade and roller kcan be removed, asa unit,with said side members andvconnecting means from said tank.

l0. A coating machine according to claim 8; whereinY said bearing meansincludes bearing housingsiixed with respect Yto said side membersandextending inwardly from the latter, and solvent impervious packings insaid bearing housings; and wherein said connecting means includes meansfor drawing said side members towardY each other thereby to press saidpackings around said roller carrying shaft and between said bearinghousings and the adjacent ends of the coating roller for preventingpenetration of the coating solution into the bearing housings. Y

1l. A coating machine according to claim v4;further comprising a pair offeed rollers having their axes parallel to eachother and to that of saidcoating roller, means supporting said feed rollers on said base formovement between an operative position contacting said` coating` rollerfrom above so thatl sheet materials to be'coated Ycan be :fed betweensaid feed rollers and said coatingk solution,V coating roller mounted ontop of said tank, Y

Va pump housing seating in the bottom of said tank and unattached forready removal therefrom, a pumping memberjin Vsaid housing andYremovable Ywith the latter,

a funnel member communicating with saidhousing and extending upwardly tosaid coating roller, driving means for said roller and said pumpingVmemben'whereby the latter, whenoperated, continuously pumps coating solnftionV from said tank and through said housing and funnel member to thelsurface of said coating roller forv transfer Y by the latter Atomaterials fed over the ,coating'rollen 13. A coating machine comprisinga tank for coating solution, a coating roller mounted ontop of saidtank, a pump housing Vseating in theV bottom of said tankvand unattachedfor ready removal therefrom, a pumping member in said housing andremovable with the latter, a funnel member communicating with saidhousing and extending upwardly to said coating roller, driving means forsaid roller and said pumping member, andV separable 'transmission means'between said driving means and pumping member whereby the latter, whenoperated, continuously pumps coating solution from said tank and throughsaidhousing' and funnel member to the surface foffsaid coating rollerfor'transfer bythe latter to matemission means being adapted to permitthe separation ,thereof whereby said housing and pumping member can belifted out of said tank.

` 14. A coating machine comprising atankV for coating solution, Vacoating roller mounted adjacent the top Vof Vsaid tank, a pump housingseating in the bottom of said tank Vand unattached for ready removalvtherefrom, said Y Yhousing having a laterally extending borethereinandan. outlet at the top thereof communicating with said bore, aVApumping screw lying within said bore in said housing and v Vremovablewith the lattera funnel member communicating with 4the outlet of saidhousing and extending uplwardlyto said coating'roller, driving means forsaid roller v,and said pumping screw whereby the latter, when operated',.continuously pumps coating Sglution frvmrsraid rials fed ,over thecoating roller, said lseparable transi through said housing and funnelmember to the surface of said coating roller for transfer by the latterto materials fed over the coating roller and spills excess solution oversaid funnel member to mix with the remainder of the coating solution insaid tank.

15. A coating machine comprising a tank for coating solution; a coatingroller assembly removably mounted, as a unit, on said tank and includingparallel side members, means associated with said side members andoperative to draw said side members toward each other, bearing housingsextending inwardly from said side members and ixed relative to thelatter, a coating roller, a shaft carrying said roller and having itsend projecting from the latter into said bearing housings, packings insaid bearing housings tightened against the ends of said roller and uponthe ends of said shaft upon operation of said means to draw togethersaid side members and thereby to prevent penetration of coating solutioninto said bearing housings; and means removably disposed in said tankfor supplying coating solution from the latter to the surface of saidcoating roller.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,192,380 Brackett July 25, 1916 1,198,655 Perkins Sept. 19, 19161,251,701 Sherwood Jan. 1, 1918 1,446,766 Osgood et al Feb. 27, 19232,314,172 Soltan Mar. 16, 1943 2,341,160 Osgood Feb. 8, 1944 2,493,165Schaefer Jan. 3, 1950 2,500,275 Carroll Mar. 14, 1950

